Niko: The Magnetic Opera
by Stargategeek
Summary: A Sanctuary remix of Repo: The Genetic Opera. Expect gore, angst, death, a few crazy people, and your favorite characters as you've never seen them before. It's just for fun...sorry it's not written as an opera...i'm not that insane :P Enjoy!
1. Prologue

**Niko: The Magnetic Opera**

_Authors Notes: This is a bit of an experiment, I recently watched Repo: The Genetic Opera, an odd movie to be sure, but I thought it would be fun to incorporate it with Sanctuary resulting in this strange and gory tale. I won't be writing any opera tunes unfortunately :P but this should be fun. I took some real strange liberties with this piece so don't crucify me when you read this and you go "This is totally unrealistic, he would never do that! Rahh you suck!" I'm sorry. So anyways, I basically took the entire plot for Repo: The Genetic Opera and switched out all the characters for Sanctuary ones, plus changing a few details and what not, I think it works. So, Read and Review, tell me how twisted my mind has gotten, and buckle up for this ride and keep all hands and feet in the car as we go along _

_**Chapter 1 – Prologue**_

A cry could be heard on the unfortunately dark evening of December 12th 2015, coming from the large building in Old City. The air was filled with a cold shiver, most would've mistaken it for a Winter wind, unbeknownst to them it was the winds of change, for-warning them of a cold and bitter future.

The scream raged through the dark halls of the mansion. It shifted the dust off the furniture, the air itself seemed to want to move away from the sound.

The scream was haunting, foreboding, creeping itself into the floorboards and walls and windows, planting itself like a memory.

It echoed through the rooms, down the elevator shaft and through the doors of the infirmary where it grew in volume, becoming louder and louder.

"NIKO!" it said.

"Helen, you've got to hold on, I'm trying my best…there's no one here to help me!" he cried.

She cried out in response.

She lay on the gurney in the operation room, a large flowy nightgown soaked with blood and pushed up to her hips. She was heavily pregnant and in a very difficult labor. The team was away on a mission with the help of John Druitt and wasn't due to be back for a few more hours, and all the residents in the Sanctuary were either asleep or shut away in their habitats, none could aid the fearful Nikola. Her hair was soaked with sweat, her hands fisted the thin, blood-drenched sheet on the gurney, and her love, her husband and friend, Nikola, had to watch in agony as she writhed and screamed with each contraction.

Everything had been just fine up to two hours ago when labor came hard, like a stab to the gut. Poor Nikola had cried out for help but there was no one to hear him. He was in this alone. Watching the woman he loves fight and cry for her life and for their unborn child.

His hair glistened with sweat as well, his hands had become stained dark red from her blood. There was too much blood.

"It's not working!" Helen gasped.

"Well then tell me what to do! I'm not a doctor Helen!" he looked at her, desperation crawling into his features.

"Caesarean…only way…" she breathed hard.

"I can't put you out Helen, I don't know how to do this!" he cried.

"I know…10 ccs of…" she winced but Nikola knew what she was referring to and rushed to get it. He injected her with the drugs to still the intense pain she was experiencing.

"Alright, tell me what I need to do," he said trying to remain calm.

"Make an incision here and here," Helen gestured to the spots on her abdomen with her hand and Nikola pulled out a sterilized scalpel and did as he was told.

"Be very careful…if you cut too far you might hit the baby," she shut her eyes tightly as a wave of pain took over her.

"It's alright," he said taking her hand and kissing the top of it. "We can do this."

He numbed the area up before making the incision, Helen directing him as he went.

She let out another scream that traveled through the infirmary doors, past the halls and doors and elevators right to the ear of a large hairy creature stepping out of a black van.

Big Guy perked at the hint of sound and sniffed the air.

"Guhh, something's wrong," he muttered.

"Huh? What do you mean?" said Henry, stepping out of the parked van to join him.

"Something doesn't seem right, guh guh!" he grunted.

"He's right, the place seems ominous, like it's been abandoned," joined Will.

"Even I'm getting some serious voodoo off this place," chimed in Kate.

"Well my scans say that everything is in order, no break in or power outages, maybe you're just not used to seeing it with the lights out," said Henry pulling out his tablet to show them the readings.

"Maybe," shrugged Will, Kate nodded in agreement.

"No, it's more than that…something's wrong!" growled Big Guy. He silenced them as he listened closely.

A familiar vfoomf sound came behind the group of them and Will looked behind him to see John Druitt standing quietly behind him.

"What's the hold up?" he said calmly.

"Big Guy is getting some bad mojo, he thinks something is wrong," said Will.

Big Guy grunted suddenly then ran, the rest of them following after. Even John, who chose to run instead of teleport.

As they entered into the house, Kate felt a chill crawl up her spine, something wasn't right at all. Then they all heard it, a blood-curdling scream, echoing through the Sanctuary.

"Doc?" asked Kate, looking fearfully at Henry and Will.

"She can't be, it's not due for another 2 weeks," said Henry.

"Obviously it's decided to come early," said Will, booking it after Big Guy.

Another scream, louder, almost freezing Kate in the spot with fear. Then the halls went deathly silent. The air stilled around them and Big Guy made it into the elevator, the rest of them clambering into the car with him.

Kate felt her breath hitch in her throat and a sinking feeling in her gut and she grabbed Henry's hand and held tightly.

It felt like an eternity for the elevator doors to open up on the infirmary level, the car was tense, everyone holding their breath, suspecting the worst.

Finally the doors dinged open and they all rushed out making their way to the infirmary. They past the threshold of the infirmary doors and then slowed to a walk, a hesitant, careful walk.

The observation window to the operating room was black, a blood trail on the floor they followed. Kate bit her lip, her eyes threatening to go like a broken dam.

Big Guy took the lead, going to the OR door and pressing the code, it opened and he flicked the light switch, but the room stayed dark except for the faint light coming through the window.

It smelt like death, like blood and tears, like pain.

Will took an emergency flashlight off the shelf and shone it into the room, immediately landing on a blood-stained Nikola, sitting on the floor, dazed and confused, sweat trickling down his face, his whole torso covered in blood.

"Tesla?" asked Will, the group going up to the man, except John who stayed in the silhouette of the doorway.

"…I could only save one…there wasn't enough time…I had to save one…or I'd lose them both…" he looked at Will, his eyes blurry with unshed tears. A single tear escaped down Kate's cheek.

"Nikola, what happened?" Will knelt down by the ex-vampire.

"Everything, I don't know…everything was normal then it all went wrong…" Nikola looked off to something Will couldn't see.

"Nikola, where's Magnus? Where's Helen?" a panic grew in Will.

"Dead. She's dead. I could only save one or I'd lose them both, I had to choose!" said Nikola flatly.

"Magnus is dead?" Will felt something in him break.

Nikola's lip started quivering before he broke into a strained sob.

"I could only save one," he lifted a hand and pointed off into the darkness.

Will looked over and stood up, following the direction that Nikola had pointed to.

He slowly made his way over, feeling something crunch under his feet, it was glass, like from a lightbulb, that explained the lack of light in the room.

He pressed on, seeing the silhouette of a gurney. He flashed his light on to it and almost immediately pulled back.

"Oh god!" he gasped, feeling bile crawl up his throat.

Nikola continued to sob, clutching something close to him, looked like a bundled up jacket.

John moved in that moment and found an emergency lighting dock, one of Henry's designs pushed it into the room and turned it on, the room hummed and the light illuminated the space with a dull glow.

Kate looked away, her head burying into Henry's shoulder. Big Guy grunted sadly. John stared in a white hot anger at the still form lying on the bed, blood-soaked and lifeless. It looked more like a massacre than a delivery.

"You did this!" John growled and turned to Nikola. "You killed her!"

Nikola continued to sob, clutching the bundle even closer to him.

"It was as accident," growled Big Guy.

"What did you do, Nikola? Did the scent of blood become too much for you to handle?" accused John.

The bundle moved and they looked at it closely.

"What's that?" asked Will.

Nikola extended his arms showing a sleeping, but very much alive baby girl in his arms.

"She's beautiful," said Kate wiping her eyes, leaving Henry's arms. "What's her name?"

"Shae…it's the name Helen had chosen before she…" Nikola bit his lip and leaned against the medicine cabinet, resting his head on the cool metal surface.

"We should get her into an incubator," said Will.

"May I take her, Nikola?" she asked softly and he nodded, she Henry and Will left the Operating room to look after the small infant, leaving only John, Big Guy and Nikola.

"You were supposed to protect her, not mutilate her into pieces!" shouted John.

"It wasn't like that!" cried Nikola standing up and slamming John into the wall. "I did everything I could and it came down to a choice! Do you think it was easy?"

"I could've saved her," said John bitterly.

"You weren't here, maybe you could have!" shouted Nikola releasing John and going over to Helen's dead body. "Maybe she would've had a chance."

"John, leave," growled Big Guy.

"I'm not leaving her with this bastard!" shouted John.

"She was my wife!" snapped Nikola.

"She was my fiancé!" John shouted back.

"She chose me!" Nikola glared fiercely at John.

"She settled for you, there's a difference!" snarled Druitt stepping up to his full height.

"Get out!" Nikola growled.

"Shut up!" shouted Big Guy silencing them. "This is not what she would've wanted, guhh!"

Nikola silently turned back to Helen.

"Oh, Helen, I'm so sorry," he took her cold hand and held it against his cheek, wishing the warmth from him to go back into her and bring her back to life.

"Guhhh, you should get some rest, Nikola," said Big Guy.

"The rug is right, you look awfully pale," snided John.

"No! I want to stay here," bit Nikola.

"Guhhh, you don't need to be here," said Big Guy, pulling Nikola away.

"NO!" shouted Nikola as he was dragged kicking and screaming from the room, a slight look to John as he was taken away.

John looked down at Helen and bent low to her ear.

"Forgive me, Helen, but I told you that you would regret marrying that fool," he whispered before covering her up with the white sheet.

He turned off the emergency light and closed the door behind him, a hint of a smile cresting his lips, which faded when he heard the others at the far end of the infirmary.

"She's so perfect," said Kate looking down at the tiny, sleeping body.

"Yah, she looks almost…" Henry stopped and bit his lip. Kate turned and hugged him. "How are we going to go on without her?"

Kate let a tear fall as Henry cried.

"I don't know, Henry, I don't know," she leaned her head against his.

John watched in the distance.

This was just the start.


	2. 2033

_**Chapter 2 – 2033**_

_**~~~~18 Years Later~~~~**_

The world has changed.

The world we once knew was destroyed by a plague nearly 15 years ago. It was called the EuJennens Virus. It targeted humans specifically; a global epidemic spreading to all four corners of the earth, annihilating anything in its path except for the Abnormals.

Humans demanded a cure as the death rate spiked into the thousands. Pharmaceutical companies failed one by one to produce it. Families, countries and continents fell. Except for the Abnormals.

That's when the government decided to reign in its last defense for humanity; The Sanctuary Network. Headed up by the infamous John Druitt who had taken over after the death of his predecessor, the Network's original founder, Helen Magnus. The last living member of a group called The Five still attached to the Sanctuary.

On March 28, 2023, he provided "The Cure."

With the help of this miraculous substance humans were saved, it turned their genetics making them Abnormals providing them the secret immunity to the EuJennens virus. Thus became the last remaining bits of humanity's reliance on John Druitt and The NSN (New Sanctuary Network). They became a powerhouse, growing a monopoly as the world's major drug and Health Company. No other company had the resources to help with the surplus of strange and new abilities. But this help didn't come without a price.

A binding contract.

The clauses of this contract were almost Faustian in nature; binding them whole-heartedly into the service or loyalty of NSN in exchange they were given medication, training, and Internet access to learn to control their new abilities.

On September 12 of 2025 the New Congress voted Yea on the bill, the Druitt's Act, the right for the NSN to remove the abilities of anyone who did not meet the terms of the contract they signed, by force if necessary, fully and unchallenging legal only to the power of the NSN.

The process was called "Stripping," and thus "The Rippers" were born. Mysterious men who crawled like foreboding shadows through the night, they removed your powers in a sheer wave of pain then killed you to save you from suffering as you would die from the EuJennens without your abilities to protect you. These men were said to have long sharp claws and snarling fangs, and they never killed the same way twice. The nights were haunted by these dark figures.

Now, the world in the year 2033, every last corner of civilization moved to one continent under the rule of John Druitt and the NSN. Past the city gates were nothing but death.

John Druitt was our savior, our light in the darkness and he was revered as so and we flocked beneath his protective wing.

His team, the NSN family became our rock stars. Will Zimmerman, his second-in-command. He was adored by women, fueled by rage, and mad with power; not a man you'd want on your bad side. His ability of super-strength and telepathy made him the world's foremost expert of abnormal psychiatry, and in control of New City's police force.

Kate Freelander, the exotic and beautiful woman had the control of the marketing of the companies new wonder drug, Liquid Lightning, a control medication that kicked Diazepam on it's ass. It was said she possessed cat-like agility, and other feline traits though she never showed them in public.

Henry the heartthrob playboy werewolf; despite his deformed face due to an electrical accident leaving the left side horribly scarred that he covered with a mask. He was the world's technology master, creating an advanced communications device that connected the whole world together, as well as other things.

These four control the world, or at least, what was left of it.

Their greatest weapon, though, were "The Rippers," and they kept the world in their hands through these clawed creatures. And we let them, the fear of the EuJennens making us desperate to keep on our savior's good side.

Except for the rogue Abnormals not bound by contract to NSN. They ran black market operations providing a cheaper version of Liquid Lightning to anyone who was low enough to take it.

The world had fallen directly in John Druitt's lap.

_**~~~~New City, 2033 – Druitt Tower~~~~**_

A large screen flashed over the city.

"Get the new Liquid Lightning and feel better faster and longer," came the voice over the loud speakers to anyone listening down below.

"Come to the Magnetic Opera, New City's biggest stage to hear Mermaid Sally sing her final song!" the screen flashed again.

"Hello, I am Sally, before I could never share my songs with the world and with the help of John Druitt and NSN I can, and I have been for the last 15 years, what have they done for you?"

John Druitt watched through his large window, his hands held behind his back.

"Sir?" came a voice behind him.

"Yes," he didn't turn to face whoever was behind him.

"We have the results back, sir," said the lab-coated man.

"And?" he prodded.

"There's nothing we can do, your blood is rejecting the serum, it's immune, your body is decaying rapidly," said the man, placing the data on the large desk. "I'm sorry Mr. Druitt."

John turned and looked at the file on his desk, then over to the two bodyguards standing on either side of the desk, advanced guns held in their hands.

John paused and glared at the man.

"Shoot him," he ordered, sitting down at his desk and throwing the file in the trash.

They wordlessly lifted their guns and fired hitting the man square in the eyes.

They moved and dragged him out of the office just as quietly.

John sighed and leaned back in his chair, resting his hands together.

"What the hell, Druitt!" burst in Will, Kate and Henry trailing behind. "When were you going to tell us this? Sally's quitting the Opera! She can't do that! Where's she going to go?"

John looked calmly up at his compatriot.

"She's insisted upon it, my hands are tied," he shrugged.

"I can't believe this!" shouted Will; he punched the wall, shattering the dry wall.

"Shit, Druitt, did you think we weren't going to find out?" growled Kate, she lounged on the couch uninterested.

"Of course I did, I just didn't think you'd be so upset about it," said John casually.

"It's Sally!" said Henry.

"We discussed this already, anyone not loyal to us is a liability, we already lost the hairy one to those rogues and he causes enough damage as it happens, to remain in control you have to cut all loose ends, you know that," John said and Will exhaled.

"I just never thought…" started Will, scrubbing a hand through his hair.

"It is a shame, but we have to move on," said John.

"Get your results back, Johnny," sighed Kate.

"Yes, and it's no use, I am immune, I'll have to choose my successor," John sat up as he spoke.

"One of us?" asked Henry, adjusting his mask in the mirror.

"You'll know just as soon as I do," said John cryptically.

"Jeez Druitt, we're supposed to be a team," groaned Kate, swinging her legs off the couch.

"You'll know just as soon as I do," John looked her straight in the eye.

"I need 50 grand," she leaned on the desk.

"What for?" asked John with a sigh.

"Somebody has to pay these two-bit paparazzi freak shows off, and since we can't do it in free samples I need the cash," said Kate coolly.

"Fine, I'll have it for you in an hour, now leave me," John dismissed the three of them.

Kate dragged Henry out but Will stayed glaring at Druitt.

"I don't like this, Druitt," he snarled.

"You've made that clear, but as I said, my hands are tied, why not go beat up someone to make you feel better?" John smiled condescendingly and Will left in a huff.

The smile faded from John's face as soon as the door slammed behind the protégé.

He stood up and faced the window once again, looking out onto New City.

_**~~~~New City Cemetery~~~~**_

She kept the gasmask covered over her face as she moved through the catacombs connecting her home to the graveyard. Her mother's tomb was only one of a few in the cemetery, the rest were mainly mass graves or family burial plots.

She held on tightly to the strap of her bag that was slung over her shoulder.

The girl was no more than 18, tall and slender. Her feet stumbled over the broken, uneven ground of the catacombs, her gloved hands reached out to the walls to balance herself.

She pulled a key out of her pants pocket and unlocked the creaky wooden door at the end of the narrow passageway, sliding through the doorway into her mothers tomb, lighting a candle, making the atmosphere more gothique. Perfect for sitting and reading, she thought.

She pulled the gas mask over her head, her chocolate brown locks spilling out over her shoulders and down her back.

She had stunningly bright blue eyes and pale skin. A classic beauty…just like her.

She sat at the edge of the grave and looked down at it.

"Hello Mom," she said softly, pulling out a book from her bag and cracking it open. "I've been reading, Dad says it was one of your favorites, I like it better than the last one."

She gave a small smile to the name on the tomb.

"Course, Dad says you loved lots of books, but only a few he lets me read," she conversed lightly with the slab of marble.

She saw a speck of dirt on the name and she leaned over and brushed it off.

The name edged in the marble, so simple and delicate, like a white flower. It read HELEN TESLA. Nothing else. Just a name, a simple, empty name etched in stone.

It was beautiful, it wasn't hard to believe that the name belonged to someone who was just as beautiful as the name itself. And she had seen enough pictures in her home to know that she was right in her assumption. But it meant nothing to her, despite her wanting it to.

She sighed and went back to the book.

A sound outside the tomb stirred her from the pages of the old book to peer out the barred window of the tomb door.

She saw several dark figures wind through gravestones and stone angels.

Her breath hitched in her throat, a panic rising in her chest but was overpowered by curiosity as the figures made their way to a newly dug up grave.

"Guh guh! Remove the coffin," said a voice.

The girl opened the tomb door quietly and snuck behind a stone, listening carefully.

"Never in my life did I think I'd be a graverobber," said an accented voice.

"Guhh, don't like getting dirt under you nails?" said the first voice.

"No, my mother just taught me to respect the dead, not dig 'em up and remove their leftover blood," said the other voice.

"You got any better ideas?" grunted the first voice again.

"Aside from getting the hell out of here?" laughed the second.

"Just work quickly," grunted the other voice and she heard a crack as the pine coffin's lid was pried open and a splurge as the body inside was dumped out of it.

She peeked her head out and she gasped at the sight of the decaying body, one of the men hunched over it with a strange device embedded into the neck.

The larger one looked up and made eye contact with her, she squealed and hunched down behind the gravestone again.

She hoped that what just happened was just her mind playing tricks with her, but a few moments later a large hairy hand grabbed her roughly and hoisted her off the ground.

"Ah! Please don't hurt me! I didn't see anything! I'm not supposed to be here!" she cried.

The big man-creature growled.

"What are you doing-" he trailed off, looking into her eyes, then sniffing her.

"P-please don't hurt me…" she pleaded.

"It's you…guh guh, but it can't be," he lowered her gently to the ground, his eyes never leaving hers.

The second man came beside him and looked at her.

"Who'd ya find?" he asked.

"Look at her, guh! What do you see?" grunted the man-beast.

"Wha? Oh my…it's not," said the second one, his lightly graying hair shifting ever so slightly in the wind.

"It is, I can smell it," grunted the other one.

"Please, I'm not supposed to be here, let me go," she pleaded with the two men before a loud siren broke the still peacefulness of the cemetery.

"Intruder Alert! Anyone caught in the graveyard without a permit will be arrested! Intruder Alert!" came an automated voice.

"That's our cue to blow this joint," said the accented man

The man-beast let her go and she rushed to the tombstone door.

"Commencing immediate cemetery lockdown," said the automated voice.

"No, no, no!" she cried, reaching the door a fraction too late.

"Come with us!" grunted the man-beast waving her over.

She panicked and followed, grasping his huge, hairy hand.

She had no idea why she was trusting these men, they were graverobbers, outlaws, rogues, they weren't generally trustworthy.

"Eh, Big Fella, does this remind you of Winter of 2018, in the sewers?" laughed the accented one.

"Guh, I rather not, Macrae," grunted the one called Big Fella.

"I need to get back into that tomb, I have to go home!" said the girl.

"Too dangerous!" grunted Big Fella.

"No, I am not supposed to be here, I'm sick, I have to go home!" she cried over the sirens as cops flooded the cemetery.

"Through here!" shouted Macrae.

They busted through the wall of a building on the cemetery ground only to find themselves amongst heaps of dead and decaying bodies.

"Well ain't this the ever-loving lulu of gold mines," muttered Macrae.

"Get as many as you can, I'll watch her," grunted Big Fella.

Macrae cackled and jumped into the piles of dead bodies, jabbing his little device into the nearest exposed neck he could find.

"Wha-what are you doing?" gasped the girl.

"Guh! Graverobbing," grunted Big Fella.

The young girl gulped and backed away.

"I have to go home, I have to go home…I shouldn't be here…" she stepped out of the building away from the dead, letting go of the hairy hand. In a moment she was swarmed by cops, her breathing became labored, and she clutched her chest, falling to the ground.

"Warning, blood pressure, medicate immediately," she looked at her wristband that beeped the message again, looking up at the cops helplessly.

_**~~~~Druitt Tower~~~~**_

"Sir, we have a visual on the culprit," John pressed the button on the comm. network.

"Bring it up," he ordered.

"Yes sir," the holo-screen flashed to life and the image of a young girl gasping slightly on the ground.

"It's her," he stood up and looked at the footage. "Bring her in, don't hurt her."

One of the cops onscreen nodded and signaled to the others.

"I have you now," John muttered, a hint of a smile cresting his face.

_**~~~~Cemetery~~~~**_

"Please…I didn't do anything," gasped the girl as the cops swarmed over her.

She fell on to her side and felt herself slowly slipping into unconsciousness.

She heard the message from her wristband again and saw a black figure push past the cops and kneel down in front of her.

"It's okay, Shae, I've got you," was the last thing she heard before she went unconscious.


	3. Shae

Author's notes: Ok a little explanation, as I mentioned before this is completely a Sanctuary remix of Repo: The Genetic Opera. Basically the entire story of Repo squeezed into the Sanctaury universe. With that said there are some liberties I'm taking with the characters, but I'll try explaining them as best I can. First: John's rise to power. He is replacing the character of Rotti Largo from Repo, in the movie Rotti Largo is the founder of GeneCo, and all that jazz. Now, logistically John wouldn't really be the head of the Sanctuary Network, but in this little universe he rose to power due to the fact that he was the last of The Five, since Nikola has disappeared, that will all become clear in a moment, and probably due to some bribing and powerful persuasion. "The Cure" he's created will make sense later on. Second: The team. They are replacing Rotti Largo's children Luigi (Will), Amber Sweet (Kate) and Pavi (Henry). Because of this I had to make them a little screwy in the brain, which might make them seem out of character. Third: Mermaid Sally. She's been turned human, how? I don't know. She's replacing the character Blind Mag, a woman who was blind but was given sight by Rotti Largo, going into his service as the Prima Donna for the Genetic Opera. I needed a character that was close to Magnus in this respect, and I couldn't use Kate, she will come into play later in the story. I hope this clears some things that I couldn't necessarily write into the story. If you're thinking this is all on crack, you should watch the movie, mine actually makes a bit more sense…mostly cause I'm not writing it as an opera. *shrugs* Enjoy!

Chapter 3 – Shae

The girl cracked her eyes open to a familiar sight. It was her bedroom. She sat up straight, a small bit of confusion clouding her thoughts. She could've sworn she was dead.

The door opened and a man stepped in.

"Dad?" she asked quietly.

"It's alright, dear," he said coming over to the edge of the bed, ducking under the canopy. "You had a small attack, nothing severe, you should've taken your medicine, it's why I built the indicator for you," hee sat on the edge of the bed and checked her over.

"Was-Wasn't I outside?" she ran a hand through her dark hair.

"No, honey you weren't," he said with a small smile.

"But I remember-"

"You weren't…you just forgot to take your meds," he stopped her as he took a small blood sample from her arm.

"It didn't feel like a dream! Who would dream up something like that!" she persisted.

"Shae, my dear, you would be surprised what the mind cooks up," he looked at her with his dull blue-grey eyes.

"But this was different, I've had nightmares before, but nothing like this," she looked at him with her sparkling blues.

"It was just a dream, let it go," he said calmly standing up. "You scared me to death this time, please be more mindful Shae, sometimes you get lost in an idea and just go to hell with it."

"I'm sorry, Dad," she mumbled.

"Don't apologize, just take your medication," he sighed.

"I know," she looked down at her fingers.

"Since your mother's passing, you are all I have left, if I have to bullwhip you to keep you alive, I will," he said half-jokingly and Shae let out a small laugh getting up from the bed to follow him.

"I'm sorry, I'll be careful next time," she came up to him and put her hand on his arm.

"I know you will, I'm just a father with a spirited girl for a daughter," he sighed and patted her hand affectionately. "You are so much like your mother."

"No I'm not," she pulled back her hand and sat on the old toy chest at the foot of her bed.

"Well, looks wise maybe, you're attitude distinctly come from me," he chuckled and walked over to a small tray with a glass of water on it and he dropped in a small pill.

"Can't I be my own person? Does everything I say or do have to come from something 0r someone?" she huffed crossing her arms.

"Well, you have your own name, does that help?" he teased.

"No," she glared at him flatly.

He laughed slightly.

"Oh, when did you grow up and lose your sense of humor, when you were twelve you would've laughed, damn puberty," he sighed sitting beside her.

"Dad! Don't be vulgar!" she smacked his shoulder.

"Fine I'll keep it G-Rated for the peanut gallery, here drink this," he handed her the glass and she looks at it.

"Why couldn't I have gotten your genetics instead of hers, then I wouldn't be sick," she said sadly.

"We can't choose who we are on the inside, Shae, just like we can't choose who we come from," he moved a stray lock of her hair behind her ear.

"So basically we're screwed," she sighed.

"You know, life's a bitch and all those good sayings," he chuckled.

"I wonder how you can deal, knowing that I'll be dead before you are," she looked at him sadly.

"It means I have to enjoy every moment I get to spend with you, you're the world to me Shae," he kissed her forehead before standing up. "Now get some rest, I have some patients to attend to, work goes on as usual, I'll be back to check on you as soon as I can."

"Alright, have fun," she teased slightly.

"Oh you know I will," he teased back before stepping through the door.

She heard him enter the code to lock the door and she sighed.

She hated being confined in this room, like a prisoner, a prisoner in her own home. Trapped by fear and the past.

She looked at the picture of her mother on the mantle of the fireplace in her room. There were lots of pictures on the mantle, most of her and her father through the years, all surrounding one of her mother. It had been up there for as long as she can remember and neither she nor her father had the heart to take it down. So it stayed there, gathering dust, smiling tauntingly at her.

"Thanks for the disease, mom," she sighed and turned away.

She went back to her bed and flopped down on it, she looked at the stuffed bear leaning against the pillows.

"Don't look at me like that Mr. Bearington," she turned him around so he wasn't facing her.

She wanted to go outside, she wanted to make friends, see the Opera; experience life outside the walls of her home. But the disease that infected her mother infects her and she hated it, hated the way her father looked at her in a fond remembrance; hated the resemblance she bore to her.

Shae sat up and moved over to the window and watched. She could se the massive screens projecting commercial after commercial for NSN. She could just hear Sally's voice from the Opera. It was so beautiful; everything beyond this house seemed more beautiful simply because it was new and exciting.

_**~~~~Druitt Tower~~~~**_

John looked at the screen's frozen image.

It was her no doubt of it. He knew, like instinct.

She had the same eyes, same hair, same face.

It was unmistakable. How could he keep he existence hidden? What gave him the right to lie about this?

After all these years…

John growled low in his throat.

How he hated that man…how he dreamed of the one day he would be destroyed, out of his sight forever.

Nikola Tesla had been nothing but a pain for the century or so that they had known each other. When he overstepped his boundaries and took Helen from him that was the last straw.

Now he had her, the one thing that would destroy Nikola once and for all. His daughter.

John smiled to himself.

"Prepare my ride," he ordered over the comm.

"Right away sir," came a voice from the other end.

John grabbed his jacket from the coat hanger by the door and threw it over his shoulders, getting into the elevator, descending down the many floors of the tower that had become his home.

"I'll keep them guessing," he muttered to himself.


	4. Nikola's Story

_**Chapter 4 – Nikola's Story**_

_Two lovers: Nikola and Helen_

Nikola looked over at Helen who was sitting by the window of the office, staring up at the night sky, a book resting on her heavily pregnant stomach.

He was sitting at the desk, filling in for her normal duties as she was on official maternity leave for the next month.

"Dear, these forms are for?" he lifted up the papers for her to see.

"Those are transfer reports," she said with a smile.

"And they go to?"

"Beijing."

"Whose code is?"

"Do you want me to do it? She put her book down.

"No, no! This is your time of rest, you take it," he said waving her off.

"It's not a strain, I don't mind," she said looking at him softly.

"No, it's fine, I've found it, go back to your reading," he dismissed her again and she chuckled lightly.

She pushed herself to her feet and came over to her husband. The great Helen Magnus married to the great Nikola Tesla, what a great couple. The truth was he had changed, and she found him utterly irresistible when he wasn't fighting her at every turn; she soon realized that she wasn't going to spend her life alone anymore, especially if she could spend it with someone who undoubtedly loved her. He may have had to do some convincing to make her see that, but she hadn't regretted it once in two years.

She walked over and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed the side of his head.

"Woman! I have work to do!" he whined.

"You're so cute when you're concentrating," she teased his ear with her finger and he leaned into embrace with a long groan.

"Oh, why must you be pregnant?" he sighed kissing the inside of her palm.

"Please, you like the idea of being a father, don't deny it. The day you found out you lit up like a Christmas tree," she chuckled, stroking her hands through his hair.

"That was mostly due to the fact that it was Christmas when you told me," he teased.

"And wasn't it just the best Christmas present ever," she smiled cheekily and kissed him softly.

"Ugh! Now, I'm distracted, look what you've done!" he exclaimed.

She straightened up and walked over to the couch, lowering herself on to it.

"I was so miserable when I was pregnant with Ashley, she kicked and punched like she was trying to fight her way out," Helen laughed.

"I can believe that," Nikola smirked and returned to the large stack of papers in front of him.

"Big Guy refused to let me do anything, James even less so, I felt like an oversized paperweight," Helen looked over at the tray of tea on the coffee table.

"I can also see that," a bleep on the computer monitor caught his attention. "Oh dear, where is Heinrich when you need him…I'll be right back, have some tea."

He got up and came over to kiss her on the cheek before quickly sauntering out the room.

Helen watched him leave with a smile. A part of her couldn't believe she was carrying the child of Nikola Tesla, the other part couldn't be happier.

She brought her hand up to her stomach and placed it just over her abdomen, a small thump coming from just under her hand. This time she was going to do it right; she had a husband; the baby had a father, no lies, and no secrets.

She reached over to the pot of tea that Big Guy had left for her before he and the rest of the team, including one teleporting ex-fiancé of hers, had left on a mission over an hour ago.

It had been an awkward encounter, asking John for his assistance, he had been less than thrilled at the news of her marriage, even less to the fact that her groom was Nikola. Since then he had been rather cold and distant from the Sanctuary. She was actually surprised when he answered her call, with a smile no less, and accepted her offer without her having to twist his arm. It was odd but she hoped it saw the end of this miserable rivalry between John and her new husband.

Now the team, including Big Guy, were off on their mission with John's assistance, and weren't going to be back until later that evening, maybe even early morning, leaving Nikola and Two-Face to run around keeping this place from falling apart around them.

She poured herself a cup of the tea; a special kind she'd never had, a peace offering from her teleporting ex-fiancé. Nikola wanted it tested, but she had thought that was overkill.

It smelt like lavender, and a bit like strawberry. It was relaxing, if a little fruity for her liking.

She closed her eyes and inhaled the warm scent before taking a sip.

_**~~~~A Half Hour Later~~~~**_

Nikola groaned, pressing in the locking codes for the habitat.

"That will be enough trouble from you," he growled at the creature through the window.

He locked down the rest of the habitats for the night and made his way to the elevator to head back to the office.

"All right, my love, I put the kids to bed and left the nightlight on, what do you say I put away the paperwork and…" he faltered when he saw Helen hunched over on the couch.

"Helen?" he walked over cautiously, sensing something was wrong.

He heard a crunch under his foot and looked down to see a spilt teacup with the handle broken off where he had stepped on it.

She let out a painful gasp, clutching her stomach.

"Nikola! It's coming!" she gasped out, her face choked red.

"What?" he ran to her side, noticing the river of blood flowing down the inside of her thighs and down the front of the couch, the front of her silk white nightgown stained. "Oh god."

Helen cried out and fell to the floor still clutching her stomach.

"HELP!" Nikola leaned down to help her.

"There's no one here Nikola…no one can help…need to get to the infirmary…" she gasped out.

"Can you walk?" he asked calmly.

"I can try," she straightened up, using his arm as leverage.

As soon as she took a step she keeled over, Nikola stepping in just in time to catch her and scoop her up in his strong arms.

"I got you, Helen," he carried her as fast as he could to the elevator, blood coursing down his hand, soaking the cuffs of his shirt.

_**~~~~In the Infirmary~~~~**_

"NIKO!"

"Helen, you've got to hold on, I'm trying my best…there's no one here to help me!"

"Agh! It's not working!"

"Well then tell me what to do, I'm not a doctor, Helen!"

"Caesarean…only way…"

"I can't put you out, Helen, I don't know how to do this!"

"I know…10 ccs of…"

Helen winced and Nikola rushed over to the crash cart, pulling off the top of a small syringe. He knew what she meant; he had seen enough surgeries done in leaky basements of old houses in the middle of a London blitz to know.

He injected the syringe into her arm.

Helen guided him in the procedure of the c-section and he listened closely to her every word. He cut carefully, reaching for her hand and kissing the top of it.

There was too much blood. There was just too much blood, on his clothes, on his hands, on the floor, everywhere. There was just too much blood.

Helen was growing increasingly pale, and her eyes constantly opened and shut as she fought wave after wave of intense pain.

"When we get out of this I promise to have a vasectomy," he joked, trying to keep the fear from creeping into his voice.

Helen let out a strained laugh.

"Would it help if I screamed "you did this to me" for you?" she joked back.

"Not really," he winced at the idea of her screaming again.

She let out another painful gasp before crying out another terrifying scream.

"What happened? What have I done?" he backed away from her.

"Agh! Nikola! Save the child! Do it now!"

He nodded and grabbed the scalpel more firmly, desperation taking over him. It felt like blood was flying everywhere; hitting his face, his shirt, over his shoulder, he might as well have been swimming in it.

Helen let out another blood-curdling cry, met by his own as he clawed his way through her.

He finally got hold of the baby and lifted it out of the womb, a gasp of relief as a cough came from its tiny lungs, signifying life.

"I've got it!" he cried. "It's a girl, Helen…it's a girl."

He felt his chest swell up at the tiny life in his hands. He snipped the cord and grabbed his jacket off the floor and wrapped the tiny infant in it.

"Niko…let me see…" Helen said weakly.

He went over to her with the tiny infant in his arms.

"She's perfect…" Helen felt a tear trickle down her cheek.

"Oh god Helen…look at you…" he blinked away the tears from his own eyes. "But it's ok, she's safe, our daughter is safe and she's beautiful, and we're going to be a family now…we're going to be fine."

Helen closed her eyes and shuddered.

"Nikola…"

"No! The team will be back, they'll help me fix you up, and you and I will watch this baby grow up together, please Helen, I can't do this alone…" he whimpered.

Helen reached up a weak finger and caressed the tiny girl's face.

"Sh-Shae…" she smiled weakly before resting her head back and closing her eyes.

Nikola watched in wide-eyed horror.

"No! No! Helen!" he rested the bundle on the cart then turned back to her. "HELEN!"

He cupped her face, feeling the warmth slowly drain out of it.

"You can't leave me like this, Helen! Come back!"

He broke down into a sob, his whole body wracking with each shudder.

Like a sudden white-hot fire, rage boiled inside him and he stepped away from the dead body. Every metal object in the room started to shake and tremor as a fury, like a dragon, soared through his veins, an anger to the world that had just reached the last straw.

The light bulb above him shattered from the electro-magnetic energy he had created, throwing the room into the bleakest of darkness.

He stood coldly, numbly in this darkness. Letting it wash over him, letting himself drown in it.

Then a cry, tiny and helpless, broke through the darkness. He moved hesitantly towards it and picked up the bundle, remembering what he had saved.

He could save only one, and Helen made sure he saved her…Shae…his Shae.

He cuddled it close.

"It's ok baby girl, daddy's here…" he felt drained and weak. He took himself and the little life in his arms and sat against a metal cabinet, the cool metal surface against his head as he cradled the sleeping child.

He was alone…all alone with a baby girl…

His Shae.

_**~~~~6 Months Later~~~~**_

Nikola walked up the dreary path to the Sanctuary, a place he had left almost 6 months ago. It seemed so bleak and lifeless now, despite the inherent signs of movement past the windows.

The cold night air hit him and chilled him to the bone as he stepped up to the large oak doors. He could still hear the echo of Helen's screams through the knocker.

He hesitated then lifted his hand to knock, quickly retracting his hand afterwards, shoving it back into his coat pocket.

Kate opened the door.

"Nikola!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around him in a hug. "We thought you were gone for good, John has stepped in to help since you left, it's so good to see you."

She let him go and pulled him inside.

"I won't be staying long, John asked to speak with me…then I will be leaving again," he said flatly, not warmed by her concern.

"Oh," she deflated. "We, uh, heard about the girl…I'm sorry Nikola.

"She was born premature, there was a chance she wouldn't make it…and she didn't," he looked down at his shoes. "May I see John?

Kate nodded and turned to lead him to Helen's old office. It had changed significantly since he had last seen it. The desk was the same, but the furniture and rugs were all new, even the lamps and fireplace seemed different, but Nikola still felt a ghost of familiarity.

"Well, well, the prodigal son returns," John sat up from the couch and turned to face Nikola with a vile grin.

"I've come at your request, please don't waste my time," huffed Nikola bitterly.

"Straight to the point, as always, my god man," John laughed and walked over to the liquor cabinet in the corner and pulled out a glass and a bottle of brandy.

"What do you want, John? Tell me or I leave," growled Nikola.

"You aren't looking so well, have you been sleeping?" said John, taking a sip from the brandy.

"Goodbye John," Nikola said flatly, turning towards the door.

"I wouldn't do that, Nikola, not until you've heard me out," John tone changed, it was darker, conniving; chilling.

Nikola stopped, listening closely now.

"Then out with it…" he barked.

"I know, Nikola…I know what happened down there, in that infirmary 6 months ago…what you did…"

Nikola felt a twinge of annoyance creep inside him.

"Are you about done?"

John teleported to him and grabbed his hand, yanking it out of it's pocket. He looked at it with a curious glint and smiled evilly.

"I know why you stuff your hands deep in your pockets, you can still feel the remains of the blood on your hands…it runs deep, and you see it, every time you look at them you see it," John whispered harshly, enjoying the way Nikola's muscles tensed.

"What do you want from me?" Nikola cursed under his breath.

"You're going to help me, or you will be arrested for the gruesome murder of Dr. Helen Magnus," bit John, his words sharp. He twisted Nikola's arm and teleported the two a few feet, smashing Nikola's face to the wall.

Nikola let out a pain grunt.

"That's not what happened!" he shouted.

"That's not what it looks like! Perspective is a funny thing; what is truth to ones point of view can be twisted into another…and now the child is dead as well, what will the other heads think of that? They'll have you strung up by your wretched little claws in a prison much worse than any electrical chair you've ever been in!" John hissed with each word.

"You bastard!" cried Nikola.

"I wouldn't be calling out names so flippantly, I am the only obstacle protecting you from a fate worse than death, my friend, and I am willing to keeps the floodgates closed for a simple favor."

"And what is that?" growled Nikola.

"Give me control of the Sanctuary," said John calmly.

"What?"

"In her will, Helen named you, as her husband, he official second-in-command, she left the future and control of this place into your hands in case anything should happen to her. The Network has held off any official meeting until you have had time to grieve over your losses, now I am hurrying the process. Give up your inheritance to me, officially state that you are incapable of running the Sanctuary in front of all the house heads, and in return I will give you something you have been searching for," John eased his grip on Nikola slightly.

"Found a way to reanimate the dead have you?" bit Nikola sarcastically.

"Not quite, but a very close second…I can give you your powers back…" John whispered into Nikola's ear.

"Impossible."

"Is it?" John released Nikola and grabbed him roughly by the collar. In a moment they were transported to some kind f secret lab, rather desolate aside from the slight hum of electricity that Nikola knew so well.

John walked to a heavy steel door and unlocked it, the mechanism made a sound like a shield deactivating rather locking system to his ears. He was ushered into the room by the tall man.

Inside, chained in the darkness of what he now realized was a cell, was a man. Pale, cold skin, sharp white fangs, and long menacing claws were his most distinct features. Nikola's blue-grey eyes were met with a pair of hungry blood-black orbs, slicing angrily at him.

"How did you?" Nikola started, struck dumb by the man in front of him.

"Found him, by chance really, he's been hiding out for a long time. The details are of no consequence but I assure you he is real, and so is the power of his blood."

Nikola turned on his heel and darted out of the room, the world spun around him and he felt sick to his stomach.

"So, what do you say, my old friend, ready for another go?" John followed after, the door to the cell closing behind him.

"You are insane!" shouted Nikola. "That is not some rabbit you can just hole up somewhere and test cosmetics on! Are you mad?"

John just smirked.

"I don't need your permission…or your approval…you breath a word of this and I will send the details of what you did to every Sanctuary Head in the Network, and it will be years before they even get to my transgressions. What I'm proposing is a small little partnership. I give you your powers, you give me the Sanctuary, I keep your little sin a secret to the rest of the Network, and you repay me when I ask. It will be painless if you just agree to my terms," John said calmly.

"What payment will I be asked of?" Nikola glared hard at John.

"I will tell you when I know," John said cryptically.

Nikola glared even harder.

"How can I trust you?...Helen would not agree with this…"

"Well, as I see it…you either agree to this little deal, or you rot in the worst hell the Sanctuary can cook up for you, it's your choice.

Nikola opened his mouth to speak but hesitated, then closed it. His choices weren't all that good.

"Fine…you win…" he deflated with a defeated sigh. John outstretched his hand and grabbed Nikola's, shaking it firmly.

"I knew you'd listen to reason, come this way," John led Nikola down the hall and into a separate room, a medical chair in the middle of it.

"Sit down," John ordered gently.

Nikola wordlessly removed his coat and made his way over to the menacing chair and hesitantly sat upon it. Metal restraints automatically moved to trap his arms to the armrests.

"Just a precaution, nothing to lose your wits about," smirked John.

"Just get it over with, " bit Nikola.

"As you wish," John bowed gracefully like the fop he was.

He prepared a hypodermic on the cart behind him, the dark red substance swirling in its plastic cage.

'Are you ready, old man," John stalked up to him, the needle clutched in his hand almost menacingly.

"Just do it," Nikola sighed bitterly.

John nodded, rolling up Nikola's sleeve and injecting him with the source blood serum.

Nikola felt something, like a jolt to his system, a familiar kick-start flooded by a wave of pain and a thick black fog over his brain.

His nails grew longer, his eyes grew darker, and his skin became paler. All at once he could smell the blood rushing through John's veins, he could hear a leaky faucet drip five rooms away as if it were beside him. Then he felt it, the electricity, the power returning like an old friend, embracing him.

"Welcome back, Nikola," John grinned evilly as Nikola changed into his Vampiric state. "I will have use for you yet my friend."

Nikola writhed and snarled, the transformation happening much faster this time. Suddenly, like a gasp of air after a long time under water, Nikola stilled, his blood-black eyes opened wide.

"Take this," John came over with a glass of water and dropped a small pill into it. "It will suppress the bloodlust."

Nikola nodded, his restraints removed from his arms and he took the glass, chugging it down quickly.

He stood up, feeling the electricity course through him.

"You are a conniving son of a bitch, Druitt,' Nikola looked at the tall man.

John laughed his deep throaty laugh.

"From a bastard like you I take that as a compliment," John smiled.

Nikola sneered at him.

"Remember our deal, Tesla, one day I will come to collect on it," John said straight, a threatening sense of seriousness to his tone.

"Just call first," Nikola grabbed his long coat and graced it back over his shoulders.

"Would you like a ride?"

"Just take me back to the Sanctuary, I can make my own way home from there."

John nodded and put his hand on Nikola's shoulder.

In a blink they were back in Helen's old office.

"Please, won't you stay for a drink?" John asked as he made his way over to the liquor cabinet.

"No, no, I think I've stayed longer than I am comfortable," Nikola turned and headed to the door.

"I don't believe you, you know," said John casually.

"Excuse me?" Nikola stopped, his hand on the doorknob.

"The child…you're hiding her from someone, I know you are," John eyed him harshly.

"Goodnight John," Nikola opened the door, leaving the Sanctuary without so much as a word to be remembered by.

**Author's Notes: **Hey all, sorry it took me a long time to update, this week has been crazy busy. But here it is the next chapter. Enjoy! :)


	5. An Important Meeting

_**Chapter 5 – An Important Meeting**_

_**~~~~Present~~~~**_

Nikola exited his daughter's room and closed the door behind him, locking it securely.

He let out an exasperated sigh.

She was so much like her mother it drove him up the wall sometimes. Blue eyes shielded by a cascade of brunette locks, and behind those eyes was a fiery spirit, one that wouldn't sit still as the world revolved around her.

She always didn't take any of his crap, including the medicine he gave her.

He let out a long sigh and looked up, in the way people did when they talked to some disembodied body they pretended was listening to them.

"Oh, Helen, look what you left me with," he shook his head and walked down the hallway of his home, if you could call it that. He had never really felt at home in this place, his home had always been with Helen, this place was more like a tomb than anything, a cage that kept his soul under lock and key.

He was sure Shae felt the same way.

Life's a bitch indeed.

His communicator beeped.

"Yes," he answered solemnly.

"Have you handled the Mulroney case?" came the deep voice of John Druitt.

"It'll be done in the hour," he said.

"Good," John signed off and Nikola sighed.

What would Helen think of all this? He asked himself that almost twice a day. Not like he would have a choice either way. It was the fact that he was referred to as a Ripper, that part had to be the hardest to bear. He knew John had called him that on purpose, everything that man did was just another blow to Nikola. The Magnetic Opera, another petty insult. All Nikola could do about it was bit his lip and swallow his retorts and pretend that John's presence in the room did make him want to live up to his new working title.

He'd been paying for one mistake for 18 years.

Shae was his constant reminder of what he had destroyed, and why he had to do this.

He cranked the hidden lever on the fireplace and it opened up to his workplace. If Shae had found his place of business she'd probably emancipate herself and he'd have nothing. No, keeping her a secret from the world and the world a secret from her was the only way he could protect her.

The entrance closed behind him and he quietly made his way through the dark, almost dungeon-esque room.

He opened a door to a cell and he grinned a pointy-toothed smile at his victim.

"Good evening," he said, his voice deep and unnatural.

The man sobbed and cried in fear, pleading for Nikola's mercy.

A job is a job.

"This won't take long," Nikola ignored the man's pleas.

_**~~~~Sanctuary Headquarters – Storage Warehouse~~~~**_

"Where the heck is Druitt?" Kate crossed her arms.

"Probably sulking in his office as usual," Will said uncaring.

"Deciding whose going to take over the Sanctuary after he's gone," Henry said.

"Doesn't he need the approval of the entire Network to do that?" asked Kate.

"He is the entire Network, everyone else doesn't have a spine to stand up to him, except me," said Will bitterly.

"So you're going to stand up to him?" Kate said doubtfully.

"No, but I am the obvious choice, I am his second-in-command, I could start a war with the snap of my fingers!"

"Please, you could lose a war with a snap of your fingers, why don't you just stick to your psychology and let those who have expertise in matters such as these do the work," remarked Henry.

"You? The Phantom of the weapons lab?" Will laughed.

"Yah, weapons, as in high-tech advanced weapons! As in the stuff to win wars with!"

"There was a time when both of you would be disgusted with the thought of war," said Kate with a sigh.

"Yeah, and there was a time when the world hadn't gone to hell, but look outside, times have changed!" shouted Will.

"Exactly!" agreed Henry.

"Time hasn't changed, you all just turned to assholes," said Kate.

"Oh, so we're the assholes, how about you Princess Gloom?" said Will walking up to her.

"What about me?" Kate challenged.

"For the last 18 years you have done the same as us, and instead of accepting things the way they are you get bitter, and angry and are convinced that's it's all our fault because, lord forbid, we're not pissed at the world like you!"

"Keep talking, I'll show you how angry I can get!" Kate glared at him.

"Oh, I'm so scared!"

"There's a reason why I'm angry, and you know why! It's because the only people who have ever been a constant in my life are gone, Doc, Tesla, Biggie and now you two! Before this we were friends, we had good times together, now, Hank, you're so ashamed about the way you look you hardly look anyone but those bimbos you parade around in the eye, and Will, you're so messed in the head by Druitt, I don't know you anymore, I don't know either of you, so excuse me if I'm bitter that the world has gone on without me…Frick, I'm leaving! John isn't going to show and I rather not spend my entire day with you losers."

She straightened up and walked out of the room, her body guard detail trailing behind her. Not like she needed them, they were more for appearance than for actual security.

Will scoffed.

"Bitch," he muttered under his breath.

"Dude, lighten up," sighed Henry.

"Don't tell me what to do! Just go tinker with your stupid little toys and let the grown-ups do all the work, okay!" shouted Will. He looked at the young servant girl. "Scotch!"

The girl squeaked and scurried away.

_**~~~~Shae's Room~~~~**_

Shae watched the holo-screen, her only connection to the world. She had to beg her father for two weeks to get it, he finally relented, though he was still uncomfortable with it. He only let her turn it on a few hours a day.

She loved watching the live feed of the Magnetic Opera.

The volume was on medium low so it wouldn't disturb her father or his patients.

"Sally the Mermiad, the voice of the Magnetic Opera, here to talk to you about The Sanctuary."

Shae hated these announcements; she just wanted to hear the singing.

"They gave me my voice, imagine what they can do for you, and with their new product Liquid Lightning, the world is in your control."

Shae watched Sally intently. She must be the most enchanting woman on the planet.

A beep from her communicator caused her to turn away from the screen.

"Yes," she answered, pressing the button on the side of the small comm.

"Hello, you don't know me but I used to be a good friend of your mothers," came a deep voice over the comm.

"What?" she said, feeling a little confused and wary.

"I am John Druitt, the head of…"

"I know who you are, the savior of our century, right?" she said.

"Yes, I am, but this is not about me, it's about you Shae, I can help you, I have your cure, see I know what your father has been hiding from you," he said calmly. "May I meet with you? At your mother's tombstone?"

"I'm not supposed to go outside, I have a blood disease," she felt very shy all of the sudden.

"Is that what he told you?" laughed John.

"If my father found out I left…"

"Who says he has to know?" said John.

"Uhhh," Shae stumbled through her thoughts. He was right, and he said he had a cure…her father was going to be quite busy, she was sure she could be back in time that he wouldn't notice. "Alright."

She finally agreed.

"Wonderful, meet me outside your mother's tomb, I'll be there soon with my car, I look forward to meeting you Shae," he signed off and Shae shut her communicator down afterwards.

There was something very off about this guy, but oddly, at the same time, something very compelling, something her curiosity just couldn't ignore.

She got off her bed and hopped over to her armoir, pulling on a pair of jeans and a cardigan before grabbing her bag and sneaking out the secret exit to the graveyard.

_**~~~~Druitt Tower~~~~**_

John slipped on his coat and silently made his way to the elevator.

"Communicator," he ordered to his bodyguards.

The guard on his left handed it over to him and he accepted it with a horrendous whooping cough. The other one pulled a handkerchief from his breast pocket and handed it to him.

John grabbed it roughly and saw the red sputum. He handed it back with a huff.

"Tesla," he said into the device.

"Calling Nikola Tesla - Class: Ripper – Age: Unknown – Species: Unknown," said the automated voice of the communicator.

"Yes," came the deep rumbling voice out of the speakers.

"I have another job for you, I hope you don't have plans," snickered John, Nikola's misery being a source of joy for him.

"Don't condescend me Druitt, just send me the data," snapped Nikola, hanging up.

John laughed his deep throaty laugh and handed the device back to his bodyguards.

"Get my car ready, I have an important meeting to attend," he laughed again as the elevator doors opened to the ground floor, the paparazzi lights flashing through the main door windows.

He pushed past the crowds asking him about Liquid Lightning, yelling about his corrupt crew, raving on about Sally's retirement and the future of the Opera. He didn't have anything to say to them, and he most certainly wasn't obliged to tell them of his eminent death.

He moved past them and to his limo waiting at the front of the building.

He got in and got behind the safety of the tinted windows.

"Vultures," he muttered.

He pulled out the locket from his breast pocket. Over a hundred years he's carried this, at first it was because of his undying love for the woman whose face lied inside, but now he carried it around as a reminder.

A reminder of what he's done.


	6. John's Story

_**Chapter 6 – John's Story**_

_**~~~~London, 1884~~~~**_

_Two lovers: John and Helen._

John watched the performance below him, his hand entwined with the beautiful blonde-haired woman sitting next to him.

"Good seats, huh?" he whispered into her ear.

She smiled, keeping her face glued to the binoculars.

John squeezed her hand affectionately. He couldn't possibly care what was going on beneath him. He had seen the particular production many times. It was her favorite.

When he saw the posters he knew this was fate. This was going to be the night he was going to tell the woman he loved just how much he loved her. It was perfect.

He leaned over and kissed Helen on the spot beneath her ear. Her hand immediately moved to shoo him away.

"John, not now! This is the best part," she giggled slightly.

"You've seen it a million times, Helen, the words haven't changed," he whispered to her.

"That's the beauty of Shakespeare, each time the words get more and more meaningful," she clutched her hand to her heart dramatically, her focus entirely on the play.

John smiled at her.

Helen loved the Twelfth Night more than anything, he should've taken that into consideration, but he knew the moment they left the theatre her focus would be right back on him. It was how he knew he loved her and that she felt the same way.

As the curtain fell on the last scene and the lights to the theatre came on Helen finally turned to John, a contented smile.

"I never get tired of that play," she squeezed his hand, holding her skirts as she stood up. "I love it every time it comes to town."

"I know," John said with a soft smile, standing up beside her.

They had been courting for almost two years, the best two years of his life. He had never been happier. It all started when she had cured him, helped him accept who he had become and learn to live with his powers and how they were affecting him. This made him love her more than he already had. He simply couldn't picture his life without her in it. If that meant seeing every production of Twelfth Night until his death, so be it.

He offered her his arm and she took it in her delicate gloved hand and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you, darling, such a lovely treat," she smiled at him again and kissed him on the corner of his mouth.

John escorted her out of the box, best seat in the house. It had taken him a fair bit of work to get them but it was worth it for the smile on Helen's face.

Helen stepped out into the light summer air and sighed.

Their carriage was not far from the front steps and John, still holding Helen's hand, moved to open the door for her; a light laugh escaping his lips as she scooted past him and into the cabin. She uttered something about his health, which he retorted with a witty remark about her title as a working physician. It all seemed to happen at the back of his mind. He could feel the box in his pants pocket press against his leg as he moved to sit beside her.

"Where to miss?" asked the driver.

"A turn through Piccadilly to start, please," she said before John could change the subject. She gave John a look that he knew meant the night was far from over.

John couldn't help but be transfixed by her radiant beauty. He knew this was his opportunity.

He shifted so that he was facing her.

"You've done so much for me," he started.

"John, I hardly," she looked at him, she had talked with him many times before about this.

"Let me speak, doctor," he looked at her sincerely. Helen saw the seriousness in his eyes. The pure honesty he was trying to portray. "I've spent my entire life lost in a void, afraid of who I am," he paused slightly to rephrase his statement. "Of what I am…if not for you I fear I would've remained lost."

Helen smiled slightly, her hand in his.

"Instead I can now see that I am neither a freak of nature nor a devil, but a man," he lifted her hand to his lips gently and kissed her lily white knuckles causing a shy smile to crest her lips. "Very much in love."

Helen's smile faltered slightly, a little confused about where he was going with this.

"And someone who wishes to spend the rest of his life repaying his savior for all she's done," he lifted the tiny red box up to her and her expression changed once again as she stared at the simple diamond ring lying inside.

Without a word he took it from the box, resting it aside gently. He gently took her hand and looked into her big smiling blue eyes.

"I promise to make you happy, Helen, for all eternity," he said with the utmost sincerity as he slipped the ring on to her finger.

Helen looked up and smiled brighter than he could've imagined.

"You've planned this all along haven't you," she wrapped her fingers in his.

John let out a small laugh that she muffled with her lips crashing down on his. Her hands came into his hair and a joyous laugh reverberated off her lips on to his. She felt like she could sing, he felt like he could never stop looking at her, orholding her.

The carriage missed the turn to Piccadilly and went straight back to the Sanctuary; the night had just begun.

_**~~~~129 Years Later~~~~**_

Helen admired the beautiful diamond ring on her finger, it was unlike anything she had ever seen, of course, Nikola couldn't just give her any ring. He had made it out of lord knows what, the diamond wasn't really a diamond but it was more beautiful than anything she had ever seen in a jewelry store.

Just a few years ago the thought of dating Nikola Tesla, let alone marrying him was scary, but now she was planning her dream wedding to the man she loved more than she ever thought possible. He had become a permanent fixture in the Sanctuary home, a member of the team, and now he was to be her second-in-command, and life partner.

The team had taken it better than she expected. Henry and Kate nearly jumped for joy. Big Guy grunted his approval saying: "It's about time!" Will gave her a skeptical look, "Really, you can't do better than him?" earning him a slap from Big Guy. Then he laughed and hugged Helen, admitting he was very happy for her.

It was all planned to perfection.

Kate was her maid of honor, as well as Erica, Henry's girl friend, who was flying down for the occasion and Abby, Will's girl friend who became a more and more frequent sight at the Sanctuary in the last few years.

Nikola had to choose from Will, Henry, and Big Guy to be his best man, so naturally he chose all three and told them to work out who would hold the ring.

Gregory had been messaged down in Praxia about the news of his daughter's nuptials, which earned the reply: "You're going to marry Nikola? For heaven's sakes why?"

In her despair, Nikola made a trip down to Hollow Earth to make his case before her father, and to earn his blessing. She was expecting his arrival shortly so he could be at her wedding.

Everything was perfect, except for one thing.

She had to tell John.

It was harder than she ever thought it would be, and Nikola had been perfectly patient with her, allowing her to do it on her own time; at this point she was definitely abusing his love for her.

When she learned what he had done to get her father to the wedding she put her foot down. John was to meet her soon. She had to figure out how to put this delicately. If she was marrying someone else, anyone else, it would be different, but it was John…and Nikola.

She heard the door to her office open and her eyes glanced up, her hand immediately dropping out of view.

"Helen," he said calmly.

"Hello John," she tried to keep the nerves out of her tone.

"What is it you want to talk to me about?" he asked, taking a seat on one of the cushy chairs that sat across from the couch.

He always sat there.

"I…don't know if you've heard," she started.

"About you and Nikola, yes I've heard," he said, a hint of bitterness in his voice.

"It's not just that, John…he's asked me to marry him and, and I've accepted," she lifted up her hand to show him the ring.

"Does your father approve?" he muttered, looking at the ring with distaste.

"Yes, actually, he's coming down for the wedding," she stood up and moved to the couch so she could look at him.

"I'm sure he's very proud," he remarked sardonically.

"He took some convincing, Nikola wasn't his favorite out of the four of you, neither were you, in fact, he always wanted me to marry James," Helen tried to be humorous but it fell flat in front of John's hard gaze.

"Is this all you wanted to talk to me about, or is there something else?" John's patience was wearing thin; she knew he would act this way. He had been less than thrilled when he learned Nikola had taken up residence at the Sanctuary, why she was even surprised he would act any differently.

"John, please, you are still very important to me, I would like you to be there, like it or not you are part of my family," she looked at him sincerely.

"So you see me as somewhat of a estranged brother or cousin," he laughed bitterly. "So what we shared together over a century ago was just a small case of incest, is that it?"

"Of course not John!" Helen felt her own patience wavering.

"Oh right, you had all those memories annulled from your mind, it might as well have never happened!" he stood up to leave.

"John, don't be like this, can you put your selfish ego aside for one moment!" she followed him.

"Not for him, Helen! He tried to kill you and you are playing right into his hands! Do you think he has stopped scheming? Do you think he wouldn't trade you for the chance to rule the world? Helen, be reasonable! He's using you, just as he uses everybody!"

Helen snarled.

"And you're so much different! You had your chance and you threw it away like it was garbage!"

"I was not thinking clearly, you know that!"

"Seriously John, before you go pointing out Nikola's faults you should go and take a good long look in the mirror! I was trying to reach out as friend and end this feud between you too, but I see you are too pigheaded to see beyond your own reasoning! Face it, John! I am marrying Nikola! You can either support me, as an old friend, or you can leave! I don't care anymore!" she went back to her desk and sat down, her eyes refusing to look at him. She wasn't going to give him any benefit of doubt.

John stood there, his face turning red.

"I wish you every happiness, Helen," he said with a distinct menace in the sharpness of his words. "You're going to regret marrying that fool."

He teleported away, the force slamming the door shut.

Nikola peeked his head through the other door.

"I'm assuming you've told John the happy news," he said, quietly making his way over to her.

"Yes," she sighed.

"He didn't take it well?" he came around the desk behind her, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"It's John, what do you think?" she leaned into his strong hands as he started to knead her tense shoulders.

"I'm sorry Helen," he said softly, putting aside his ongoing animosity for John Druitt to comfort his fiancé. Having John there was important to Helen, if anything to give that relationship closure. "Here, I have something to show you."

He took her hand, kissing it lightly and leading her out of the office.

"Close your eyes," he whispered softly into her ear.

"Why?" she whined.

"Just do it," he kissed the side of her head gently, encouraging her to shut her eyes. "No peeking."

Helen sighed but let him lead her to wherever.

She heard him open a door and a light breeze hit her.

His hand left hers for a moment.

"Alright, open them."

Helen opened her eyes carefully.

Nikola had let her out into the garden, everyone was there, big smiles.

She looked at Nikola who was holding a single rose for her.

"What is this, Nikola?" she smiled shyly.

"This is your engagement party, I've been planning it for awhile, it just happened to fall on this day, so forgive me for my horrible timing," he handed her the rose.

Helen smiled at him.

"You have perfect timing," she said coming over and kissing him, earning a cheer from the partygoers.

Helen buried her head in his chest to cover her blush, instantly feeling like a teenager off on her first date.

"Helen," came a familiar voice.

"Father," she gasped turning to her father's smiling face. "You weren't supposed to arrive for another few days."

"Well, you're fiancé pulled some strings to get me here sooner to surprise you," Gregory Magnus was pulled into a tight hug by Helen, causing him to grunt slightly.

"He did?" she released her father to turn to Nikola.

"It was nothing really," said Nikola.

"Why didn't I marry you sooner?" she said going back to him to hug him.

"Because you fell into the worldwide belief that I was crazy, and not marriage material, personally I blame Edison," he joked.

"Shut up," she placed a chaste kiss.

The whole garden was decorated with lights, and flowers, and all of Helen's closest friends dressed in their best with a glass of champagne in their hands.

She kept her arm around Nikola the entire night, unaware of the figure in the shadows watching, a distinct shade of green flashing through his eyes.

_**~~~~2 Years Later~~~~**_

Helen heard the door to the office open; she looked up from the desk.

"Hello Helen," said John calmly.

"John, thank you for coming," she struggled to stand up, her pregnancy making her equilibrium unsteady.

"Your welcome, how long?" he gestured to her round stomach.

"About 8 months," she sighed.

"Nikola must be excited," said John without any hint of sarcasm or bitterness.

"Terribly, he's taken me off the work list, every time he leaves to manage this place I sneak back over to the guest and fill out some reports, don't tell him, he thinks if I even lift a finger the baby will break," she laughed.

"That sounds like Nikola," he sat down in the chair and pushed a small gift bag across the coffee table.

Helen sit down on the couch and looked at the parcel.

"John, what is this?" she looked up at him.

"Call it a peace offering, my actions 2 years ago were unacceptable and selfish, I want you to know Helen that I am very happy for you and Nikola," he smiled genuinely at her.

"Well, thank you," Helen felt relief wash over her. "I was actually quite nervous about asking you here today, I wasn't even sure you would come."

"What you said to me that day made me think, and I've moved on, shed myself of all those burdens I had put upon myself, I would very much like to be friends again, Helen," he gestured to the gift.

Helen leaned over, with some difficulty, and picked it up. She opened it carefully and pulled out a sealed bag of tea.

"It's a special tea, made a special way, I though you would enjoy it, it's supposed to be very soothing during pregnancy," he said with a soft smile.

"That is very sweet of you, John," she placed the bag of tea on the table and smiled at him. "I didn't think of getting a gift."

John laughed lightly.

"It's no problem," he waved off the idea.

"I was hoping I could ask your help with this next mission," she said looking at him.

"Of course, Helen, don't even think about it," he stood up.

"Oh thank you, if you go and see Will and Henry they will inform you of the details, the pregnant lady doesn't really know anything," she joked.

"Yes of course, enjoy the tea, and tell Nikola congratulations," he took Helen's hand and kissed the top lightly before leaving the office.

He transported himself into the infirmary, placing a device on the wall, disrupting the camera feed. He walked into the OR and looked at all the items on the crash cart till he saw what he needed.

John reached into pocket and pulled out a vial or a clear liquid, a toxic poison he constructed; it was lethal when mixed with the hormones produced during childbirth. A gift for his good friend, Nikola Tesla.

He dumped out the contents of the hypodermic and filled it with his liquid.

"Good luck, Nikola," he muttered.

He placed it back on the cart then retrieved his device, teleporting away before the feeds stabilized.

_**~~~~Later~~~~ **_

"_NIKO!"_

John looked at the now dead form of Helen Magnus, the love of his life…who he had poisoned.

"You did this! You killed her!" he snarled at Nikola.

"It was an accident," growled Big Guy.

"What did you do, Nikola? Did the scent of blood become too much for you to handle?" accused John angrily.

John turned back to Helen, a twinge of guilt in his gut at he bloodied and dead body. He had to do this, it was to be expected, marrying Nikola Tesla led to death and despair. Something was going on behind him; more talking, he didn't care.

"You were supposed to protect her, not mutilate her to pieces!" shouted John, angered by the extent of damage he had done to her. The poison would've killed her without such gruesomeness.

"It wasn't like that!" cried Nikola. John found himself pushed against the wall, Nikola's own rage burning in his eyes.

"I could've saved her," said John bitterly. He had no mercy for this man; no pity.

"You weren't here, maybe you could have!" John could see the tears forming in Nikola's eyes. "Maybe she would've had a chance."

"John leave," Big Guy stepped up to the two of them.

"I'm not leaving her with this bastard!" shouted John.

"She was my wife!"

"She was my fiancé!"

"She chose me!"

John bit back his rage at that statement.

"She settled for you, there's a difference!"

"Get out!" snarled Nikola. He was weakening; John could see it, he was getting to him.

"Shut up! This is not what she would've wanted, guh!" the two of them fell silent at Big Guy's words.

Nikola pathetically turned to Helen and began to sob miserably over her. Big Guy managed to pull him away and John watched half-amusedly. Nikola was beyond broken.

He stepped up to Helen and lent down to her ear.

"Forgive me Helen, but I told you that you were going to regret marrying that fool," he took the white sheet and covered her up before striding away, trying hard not to smile. This was only step one of his plan, he'd been working on this for a long time, this was going to show the world that no one messes with John Druitt, especially not Nikola Tesla.


	7. The Limo Ride

_**Chapter 7 – The Limo Ride**_

_**~~~~Present~~~~**_

The black limo pulled up to the graveyard, immediately granted clearance by the gatekeepers.

It drove slowly around the broken tombstones and stone angels, undoubtedly the poor souls below had been taken from their resting place by those infernal grave robbers; Abnormals trying to make a profit no doubt.

The car stopped at a crypt, a relative paradise compared to the others, no one dared touch it. The soul inside was beyond precious, and not just to John.

John stepped out of his car and made his was to the front door, his guards following behind him.

"Oh Helen, this would've all been so much easier if you hadn't married that fool," he sighed. "If I couldn't have you, he certainly couldn't…I wish it ended better for you, my love."

He heard a gasp from behind the door, like a faint whisper.

The girl was inside.

He gestured to his guards to the door of the crypt. One nodded silently then moved to kick the door open, tossing a gas canister inside.

A shriek came from inside and the guards stepped into the heavy fog and brought out the young brunette.

So much like her mother.

The young girl was half-unconscious, the watch on her wrist beeping an alert.

"Put her in the car, she'll be fine," sighed John as he stepped back inside the limo.

A few minutes passed as the limo started to pull out of the cemetery. The girls started to blink her eyes open.

"Wh-What happened?" she blinked.

"A small fainting spell," answered John.

The young girl jumped in surprise.

"I-I," she started.

"It's alright, I'm sorry for my abrupt entrance, my guards are in charge of my safety," John smiled softly.

"I can't stay long, my father will worry," she twiddled her thumbs nervously in her lap, just like Helen.

"Don't worry, I'll have you home before your father even notices your gone, I guarantee it," he watched as the girl scrambled to her bag to pull out a small thing of tablets, popping one in her mouth. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's ok, I have blood pressure issues…it's a bi-product of my, uh, disease," she looked at the window shyly.

"Yes, I know all about your condition," John leaned over and handed her the small, almost ancient locket. "I used to know your mother, you look very much like her," she glanced at the picture in the locket but refused to touch it.

"I don't, really, I wish people would stop comparing me to her," Shae rung the straps of her bag.

"No matter, I can still cure you," said John.

"Why would you do that?" asked Shae, eyeing him curiously.

"Call it a fulfillment of a dying wish…I wish I could've saved your mother," he said sadly.

"I don't need your charity," said Shae.

"Well I do need your help, call it a trade off," he tucked the locket back into his pocket.

"A trade off of what?" she relented slightly.

"Well first off, I need someone to accompany me to the fair, would you like to see the Magnetic Opera, I'm sure you would enjoy it very much," John handed her a ticket.

"I-I can't, I'm not even supposed to be outside, if my father found out," John shushed her.

"When he sees you cured and your life extended for many years, don't you think he will be happier, you are the key to your father's happiness. This is your life, child," John leaned back in his seat.

"Sh-Shae, my name is Shae," she sighed.

"I remember," he nodded.

"Well, I guess if it means curing me, I guess he won't be that upset," she brushed her curly brown hair behind her ear.

John smiled.

"So, is that a yes, Shae? Will you be my date to the Opera?" he asked, extending his hand.

"Fine, as long as I get home, I don't want my father to know…call it a surprise," she sat stiffly in her chair as John just grinned at her.

"As you wish, Shae," he signaled something to his driver and the cab of the limo fell silent.

John watched her intently. She reminded him so much of Helen, despite her denial of any similarity. It took him back to those early days of Oxford, Helen being so young and bright, the peak of innocence and knowledge. The dark brown hair undoubtedly came from Nikola's genetics, but the bright blue eyes and the small but so very Helen mannerisms that she tried so hard to conceal.

How dare Nikola hide her from them all! The selfishness of that man never failed to astound him. Kate was crushed the most by the news of her supposed death, she had taken the whole death so hard. Helen had been a role model, Nikola, a friend, and as much as her rough exterior portrayed a strong bitter woman, inside she was a crippled scared little girl hiding behind a mask for survival.

Of course, Nikola only ever thought of himself. Like that hadn't taken enough lives.

The girl was shy, mostly due from her limited exposure to the outside world. John was going to fix that.

He wasn't going to leave the world in the hands of those pathetic minions, he kept around for Helen's sake. Will was ever the disappointment, and he wasn't even going to think about Henry; none of them were fit to run the Sanctuary, all had been tainted. Shae was to be the light for the world, just like Helen was.

Shae felt his eyes on her and it made her uncomfortable, there was something about John Druitt that made her feel like a butterfly in a jar, being studied. She knew it had to be from her striking resemblance to her mother, a painful burden she had to carry. She got enough of it from her father. Everyone always saw her mother, they never saw her.

The sounds of the fair, a yearly event held in the downtown square. She'd watched it on her television every year, dreaming of being amongst the people, the opera singers, the noise, but now it was all too close. She reached for her medication and popped another pill, to keep her blood pressure regular as the long limo pulled up to the grand fair gates and a henchman opened the door to the limo and Shae was soon flooded with lights and sound.

John extended his arm to her.

"Ladies first," he said softly, she took his arm, afraid of being lost in the swarm of light.

_**~~~~Elsewhere~~~~**_

A man ran down the dark alley, fear gripping at his heels. A line of sweat trailed down his forehead into his eyes.

The alley turned into a sharp corner and the sudden deceleration caused him to collide into the hard surface of brick and mortar. It neither stopped, nor slowed his efforts.

He cried out for help but any passerby quickly ducked back into their home and locked the doors and windows behind him. The man was alone.

He pulled open a cover hole that led to the waist system below. The smell caused tears to well in his eyes but his feet kept moving.

The sewer was dank, and water dripped down the walls and pooled in rat-infested puddles on the litter ridden ground. No one came down here unless they were desperate to get away.

He tripped, smashing his knee into the concrete, the pain washing over him, but he kept moving, crawling on hands and knees.

A sound from behind alerted him, his heart beat faster, he struggled to push himself on to his legs but a thick boot swiftly brought him face first into the ground. He screamed out in both pain and fear.

He turned around to face his attacker. A man in a dark black suit, his face covered with a mask. A Ripper.

He gasped, his eyes widening as the Ripper pulled a clear, cylindrical device from his jacket, holding it in long, clawed hands. The pointy dark ends of the nails caught the man's eye.

"P-please! Don't kill me! I'll pay the debt I swear," the man pleaded, holding up his hands in surrender.

The Ripper wordlessly cocked his head, his foot lightly rising to pin the man's arm to the ground, then the other, standing on his wrists.

The man whimpered with pain, tears mingling with sweat, fear pouring out of his eyes into every facial feature.

The Ripper squeezed on the device and the center of it glowed with a light blue hum of electricity and in a flash rammed on to the man's chest. It sucked at the man, stripping him of his genetic gift, of the barrier between him and the poor souls buried in the cemetery. His chest tightened, his breath hitched, his voice screamed, and all the while the Ripper remained silent and unfeeling. This creature had no remorse, no guilt for what he was doing. It was his job.

The man looked through the mask and saw two dark orbs peering back at him.

"H-h0w can you do this?" gasped the man.

The device was pulled away from him, leaving him human, exposed.

The Ripper silently tied something to his foot and the man found himself hoisted upside down, arms flailing around his head. The Ripper kneeled down towards the man's head and a deep rumbling came from beneath his mask.

"Because…I have to," he said, almost sadly. Like there was a human underneath that mask trapped in the same debt he was.

They were all in debt; no one was safe.

The realization dawned upon the man as the long claws of the Ripper came towards his temple.

"You won't feel a thing," said The Ripper softly to the man as the man quietly prayed for forgiveness to whatever deity would listen to him.

Then there was black.

_**~~~~At The Fair~~~~**_

Kate rolled her eyes. She hated these festivities. Every year she looked around, and every year the people she saw became more and more depraved. People who once believed in something now spoon-fed this crap. The fair was nothing but a showcase of traits and abilities, street vendors selling their cheap home remedies for scratches, burns, and chaffing. Contests promoting every freak low enough to stand on their head and twirl plates.

They handed out discounts, leases, and free samples of all of NSN's newest, biggest, and brightest as the sound of the Magnetic Opera, a show equally as depraved as the people who watched it. She despised it all.

Will spent the whole even shouting and giving orders, threatening to terminate contracts if he didn't get his damn coffee on time.

Henry paraded around with girls on his arm, hiding behind his stupid mask, flaunting around his new technology to impress the masses, and of course John was late.

"Kate, what's with the sour face, it's the fair!" teased Henry, dismissing his girls with a pat on the butt.

"Can you be any more of a tool?" she rolled her eyes at him.

"No, but I can probably build one," he retorted.

"Where is John? We are supposed to be announcing the new line of LL in 10 minutes, where is he?" spazzed Will.

"He won't answer his communicator Mr. Zimmerman," mumbled a weasel of a secretary.

"Then call him again! What do we keep you alive for?" Will glared at Kate and Henry.

"Geez, take a pill," muttered Kate.

"Maybe I would if I wasn't the only one doing his job instead of standing around or getting laid!" barked Will.

"It wouldn't hurt…" started Henry but Will grabbed him by the throat and hoisted him off the ground.

"Just try me!" he fumed.

"Children! Children, no fighting, this is neither the time, nor the place," John came up to the threesome, calmly and coolly.

Will released Henry, letting him drop to the ground.

"Where the heck have you been, Druitt?" snarled Will.

"Picking up a special guest, she is my date for the evening, come here, dear," he gestured behind him and a young girl walked up.

Will stared at the girl incredulously.

"How young is she?" he asked.

"I-I'm 18," answered the girl.

"Don't get any ideas, she's not that kind of date," John glowered at his associate.

"Oh my god," muttered Kate, quickly turning away and walking off without a word.

"Don't mind her, Shae, she cares very little for anyone but herself," he gently lead her through the many tents of the fair, Will and Henry trailing behind them quietly confused.

"Dude, does she look familiar to you?" asked Henry.

"I don't know, but I do know Druitt's up to something, has to be to pull a stunt like this," growled Will under his breath.

A beautiful long-haired woman stepped out from one of the tents, her unique looks almost as beautiful in real life as the were onscreen. Shae stood in awe of the graceful creature.

It was Sally the Mermaid. She was dressed in a long evening gown made to mimic her previous heritage. She seemed to float as she walked towards John and the others.

"Are you ready Sally?" asked John.

"As ready as I'll ever be for these events," said Sally. Her voice hummed as she spoke.

Her sea green eyes fell upon Shae and she gasped slightly; Shae felt suddenly shy, like she was exposed or something.

"Who is she?" asked Sally, looking up at John.

"Look familiar to you Sally," he smirked deviously, he didn't have to tell her and she knew. Despite her transformation their were some traits of her native species that she still held, and she could sense it immediately, as soon as she looked into those bright blue eyes. "We have an announcement to make, my dear."

John signaled to his henchmen.

"Show my guest to my tent…don't let her out of your sight," John whispered.

The henchmen nodded and moved towards Shae.

"I will meet you later, dear girl, go with my henchman," said John, Shae nodded wordlessly and allowed the big man to lead her away from the group.

John looked at Sally.

"Where did you find her?" Sally whispered to John as Will and Henry pushed by to make it on to the conference stage, calming the sea of paparazzi and anxious people.

"Seems our old friend has been keeping her locked away for quite some time," said John.

"Where did you find her, John? How did you find her? Nikola hasn't talked to any of us since Helen's passing," she grabbed his arm sternly.

"I know where everyone is, he just managed to keep her a secret, until she broke it and came into my circle of knowlede," said John, he kept walking.

"What are you planning to do with her?" asked Sally.

"I plan to cure her of whatever Tesla has done to her and then I plan to restore the balance of power, she is an untouched flower in a garden of weeds, all twisted and thorny, she is who I plan to leave my empire to, the empire that should've belonged to her mother if her mother didn't fall in love with that heartless creature," snarled John.

Sally looked into John's deep blue eyes, wishing she could see into his soul, unfortunately he had blocked her from his mind, a condition of their contract, a contract that would soon be forfeit.

"Shall we, my dear?" he took her hand gently.

Sally sighed and nodded.

Part of her contract was to attend these bawdy public affairs, smile, sing a high note, promote NSN's new product. She grinned and beared it, knowing soon enough she would be free of this awful bond.

John stepped up to the podium, the businessman in him flashing a white smile to the crowd, they cheered and applauded, none of them knowing the death coursing through his veins. He was slowly dying in front of them and they would never know because of that smile.

"We are very happy to open the fair, though this will be the last year we will feature the beautiful Sally the Mermaid as the front runner for the Magnetic Opera," a flood of questions came from the crowd and more pictures were snapped. "She would like to say some words, come out here Sally."

The beautiful woman graced the stage.

"I am very sorry to be leaving, I enjoyed my time at the opera, but after 18 years it's time for a change," said Sally into the microphone. She smiled sweetly and stepped back to let John steer the audience.

"And we'll be sad to see you go, but more on that later, for the time being we'll have my associate Kate Freelander come out and talk about the new and improved Liquid Lightning, come out Kate!"

The audience clapped but their applause was met with and empty space on the stage.

"Kate! Don't keep us waiting," said John again but no one came on stage, the crowd fell into an awkward pause. "Kate?"

"Not here sir, she's gone."

A low rumble started in John's just and reverberated up through his throat and past his lips.

"KATE!"


End file.
